|
First Lesson: Acts 10: 44-48 Responsive Reading: Psalm 98 Second Lesson: 1 John 5: 1-6 Gospel Lesson: John 15: 9-17 Grace and Peace from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Let me begin by telling the story of Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad were both students at the University of Minnesota. Dad had recently gone out with a girl named Nancy from Saint Paul. Dad approaches who he thinks to be Nancy not realizing that Nancy had a twin sister who would become my mother. The rest of the story is Mom and Dad are now in their 43rd year of marriage. While Mom and Dad’s love story is unique, it is not the most important love story that you will hear today. The following story might change everything that you think about love. I want to tell you the story of a guy named Doug and a woman named Jaime[1]. Doug and Jaime met through reality TV. The network Biography airs a show called Married at First Sight. Married at First Sight is a show where people volunteer to marry complete strangers. The marriages are arranged by experts (phycologists, sociologist, spiritualist, and sexologist)[2]. The premise behind Married at First Sight is that the first time that you’re going to meet the bride/groom is at the wedding. The couples then are whisked away to a honeymoon where they’re supposed to live happily ever after. We probably think the premise of a show like this is stupid. We reject arranged marriage because it is an affront to our sake of personal independence. We like to believe that our decisions are always going to work out best for us in the end. The idea that someone might choose for us to enter into the most sacred of relationships is a scary thought. Back to the story of Doug and Jaime, Jaime has it all. Jaime has a great job as a nurse. Jaime’s tan, in shape, and has the looks of a model. If Jaime’s alone in a room every single guy, there is going to approach her. Doug is a different story. Doug is tall, awkward and goofy-looking. Doug has noticeable moles on his face. Doug after some bad financial decisions is living at home with his parents. You break this down on paper; Doug doesn’t look like he belongs with Jaime. Jaime would appear to be way out of Doug’s league. Yet the experts decide that they belong together. Doug and Jaime finally meet at the wedding. Jaime upon seeing that she had agreed to marry Doug was devastated. Jaime didn’t believe that she could feel attraction for a guy like him. Jaime would express her disgust about Doug to everyone who would listen. When Doug would attempt any sort of physical contact with Jaime, Doug’s touch would repel Jaime[3]. Jaime at the wedding reception had a major meltdown in front of Doug’s family because she couldn’t believe that the experts could assign her a man that she would never want for herself. Doug’s family believes that he’s going to be much better off if he never has anything to do with Jaime ever again. Early in the relationship, something begins to stand out about Doug. Doug’s ability to forgive Jaime is noteworthy. Jaime was never going to lower herself by referring to any getaway with Doug as a “honeymoon”, so Doug starts calling it a “vacation”. Jaime forgets Doug’s last name, Doug merely laughs. Whenever Jaime wishes to avoid any physical or emotional intimacy, Doug gives all the space that she needs[4]. Doug figures that he’s going to be unable to sweep Jaime off her feet at first sight but Doug is going to be patient with her and not give up on her. Jaime is dumbfounded by this all. Jaime had never had another relationship in her life remotely resembling this one. She knows that she’s treating Doug horribly, yet Doug cannot stop smiling when he’s in Jaime’s presence. People that saw Doug and Jaime’s story play out would probably think that Doug is a sucker and a sap for putting up with Jaime’s diva-like behavior. Doug’s joy in Jaime’s presence eventually begins to cause Jaime’s walls to crumble down[5]. Jaime finally breaks down to Doug about why she has so much difficulty trusting others. Jaime grew up in a trailer park. Jaime’s Mom was a drug addict. Jaime has no clue who her Dad is. Jaime on the exterior seemed to have it (looks and a great job), yet on the interior she was broken beyond belief. When Jaime finally puts her real self out there for Doug, he is not going to abandon her, in fact, he loves her all the more[6]. Jaime had lived her life up to this point consumed with all that she didn’t have. Jaime thought she knew the story believing that it would lead to a tragic future. Whereas Doug had vowed a dedication to this marriage beyond what Jaime deserved. Doug was going to be thrilled to marry Jaime, even when Jaime’s reaction was going to be anything but excitement. The relationship was not going to be defined by Jaime’s mistakes, rather Doug’s forgiveness. We will get back to Doug and Jaime’s story in a bit. Today’s Gospel comes to us from John the 15th Chapter. John 15 is part of Jesus’ farewell discourse. It’s a long speech by which Jesus gives the Disciples words of wisdom to ponder as he is not in their immediate presence. Jesus in today’s lesson wishes to give the Disciples a sense of peace. Jesus wishes to extend unto the Disciples a promise to guide them no matter what peaks and valleys that their lives take them. Jesus wants to remind the Disciples that he will come back for them as he proclaims “You did not choose me, but I chose you[7].” Jesus is not only preaching to the Disciples but also to a particular fear and insecurity about their own salvation that grips many people. Let me tell a story, a while back another church in town was holding an evangelistic meeting that was designed to attract the “young people”. I attend the event; you have speakers high on enthusiasm who proclaim that to really be a Christian “It’s not enough to be a baby and get a little wet”. The speakers managed to poke holes in the lives of junior high and high-school students, who are unsure about their place and purpose in this world. These methods can often be effective. The problem gets to be when the seemingly initial rush of a chosen conversion begins to fade. It might be fun and exciting to run on race day, yet it’s never fun and exciting to run on a cold and windy morning. All these things bring us to the reality of the Christian life. Someone could walk into this church today and say we talk too much about “Baptism” and “The Lord’s Supper”. Someone could proclaim that we make “grace” too cheap and easy. They might say we put too much emphasis on the Gospel in the presence of the world that could stand to hear a “word of judgment”. The reason we talk about these things is because of what they say about salvation. Infant Baptism is the perfect example of God’s work of salvation. A helpless infant entirely dependent on others is saved. In Baptism, God expresses devotion and loyalty to a fallen humanity. Christ died for you. The sacraments are given unto you. The Church should not exist to look for ways to restrict access to God’s graciousness. There are three spiritual truths that should guide us every day of our lives. 1. We are a broken, imperfect people. I could stand up here, and it would be like shooting fish in a barrel to point out the problems in people’s lives. 2. God wants to bring everyone to salvation. “For God so loved the World that he gave his only son.” The scriptures never cite an example of a person that God does not desire to bring to salvation 3. God is actively working to bring forth the day of your salvation. God is going around zeroing in on people no different than Doug zeroed on in Jaime, not being easily deterred by the so-called evidence by which many people would issue judgment. God is going around dispensing his gifts of grace in the most happy-go lucky of fashions[8]. People often get angry when hearing stories like Jaime and Doug’s. The fact that a guy like Doug would put up with Jaime while receiving so little in return seems to be the definition of unfair. We always have a warped sense of fairness. The only hope that any of us has in either life or death is that God chooses to act “unfairly” in the form of Jesus Christ. In the words of Romans 8 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[h] for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified[9].” In closing, back to the story of Jaime and Doug. Jaime begins to open to Doug. Jaime begins to fall for Doug in spite of her initial resistance. Doug eventually saves to buy Jaime a “new ring” that could be their “ring”, right before they re-exchanged their vows in their own storybook fashion. Who says that arranged marriages are always a bad thing? Jaime and Doug’s story is a beautiful tale of election. It’s a perfect metaphor for God’s salvation. Jaime gave Doug every reason not to love her, to march out of her life, yet Doug would not be deterred. Like the story of Jaime and Doug, God’s choosing of us in anything but rational. Our God is neither cold or calculating. Our God has chosen you for salvation from the very foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Christ died for everyone! Christ died for Judas Iscariot, who would betray him for thirty pieces of silver. Christ died for Pharoah,who abused God’s chosen people. Christ died for Jaime even as she thought no one could love her if they knew her secrets. This is reality! Amen [1] The inspiration is written by Condon, Sarah. “Love Lessons from Fungus: Married at First Sight”. Mockingbird Ministiries (MBIRD). 26. Aug.2014. Web. May.4.2015. [2] Condon, Sarah. “Love Lessons from Fungus: Married at First Sight”. [3] Condon, Sarah. “Love Lessons from Fungus: Married at First Sight”. [4] Condon, Sarah. “Love Lessons from Fungus: Married at First Sight”. [5] Condon, Sarah. “Love Lessons from Fungus: Married at First Sight”. [6] Condon, Sarah. “Love Lessons from Fungus: Married at First Sight”. [7] John 15:16 [8] This is from a beautiful quote of Robert Farrar Capon’s that can be found on his Wikipedia article in it’s entirety. [9] Romans 8:28-30 Comments are closed.
|
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed